By Elad Benari
Two Israelis were lightly wounded on Tuesday night as Palestinian Authority Arab terrorists launched an attack on a vehicle that was driving past the Yitzhar junction in Samaria (Shomron).
According to a report by the Judea and Samaria Division of the Israeli police, the driver of the vehicle, a resident of the community of Kedumim, was among those hurt in the attack. Another person who was in the vehicle was wounded as well. Both were treated at the scene by Magen David Adom paramedics.
It is yet unclear whether the attack was a shooting attack or a rock throwing attack. Police officials said that a preliminary investigation found no signs of fire or bullets, leading investigators to believe that rocks had been thrown at the vehicle. A final answer will be available only after an examination by the forensic department.
The head of the Shomron Regional Council, Gershon Mesika, said that “the attack is a direct result of the removal of the Hawara checkpoint, just two hundred meters from the shooting.”
Mesika added, “Weakness leads to terrorism. I demand that the Prime Minister re-erect the checkpoint tonight. Only military determination and a construction boom will deter the motivation for terrorism.”
Tuesday night's terror attack occurred less than a week after a 20-year-old Arab woman was arrested in Hevron last Thursday.
The woman was arrested when she tried to spray pepper spray at Border Police at the Tzalbanit checkpoint, near the Cave of Patriarchs. A knife was then found in her bag.
In her initial interrogation she admitted that she intended to stab a soldier or policeman. She was taken away to be interrogated by the Shin Bet.
On Thursday afternoon about 40 Arabs rioted on the Cross-Binyamin Highway near Neve Tzuf and hurled rocks at vehicles passing on the road and at IDF soldiers.
In May, terrorists opened fire on a Jewish motorist travelling on Route 60. The incident occurred near the Arab village of Sinjil, which is north of the Jewish community of Ofra.
No one was hurt in the incident, but an examination of the vehicle by police revealed damage from bullets.
